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Any upper extremity amputees here?

Brews

Brews

Joined
Jun 20, 2024
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Location
Michigans Upper peninsula
Greetings again.
I am missing my left hand at the wrist and and trying to figure out how best to paddle a canoe, either solo or from the rear.
My only experience was as the front paddler so my partner did the lions share of work.
Kind of putting the cart before the horse as I have to restore my canoe before I can paddle it. but forecasting ahead i realize if theres an attachment that i man need then i will need to start planning now, they aint cheap!
 
Would a double blade kayak paddle work better for you?

I don't know anything about attachment methods to your arm, but the kayak paddle would remove the need to switch sides.
 
FloridaJohn said:
Would a double blade kayak paddle work better for you?

I don't know anything about attachment methods to your arm, but the kayak paddle would remove the need to switch sides.
Click to expand...
I was pondering that option. Sitting here right now watching canoe videos snd the fellow is paddle his canoe with a double bladed paddle.
what ate the pros/cons of using a double blade with a canoe?
 
i know of a guy who lost his right arm just above the elbow in an accident when he was young. For many years he was the waterfront director at a BSA camp in the Adiorndacks. Every week he did the mile swim and taught sailing and canoeing. He could sail a Hobie like no one else, solo. He could paddle a canoe as well as anyone with a single blade paddle. During lifesafing ttaining, they had a solid steel sledge hammer fastened to a steel pipe. To test the students as lifeguards he would throw that hammer in deep water from the floating dock. No one could beat him retrieving that hammer from the depths and swimming it back to shore. Quite the amazing guy. When that scout camp closed down, he bought th Hobie and sails it with his family now.

I often made the mistake of during a work project of asking him (as I often did for anyone) without thinking "hey, do you need a hand?) He would reply by holding up his existing good hand and saying, "no thanks, I already have one".
 
yknpdlr said:
i know of a guy who lost his right arm just above the elbow in an accident when he was young. . . . He could paddle a canoe as well as anyone with a single blade paddle.
Click to expand...

How did he hold the canoe paddle?

FloridaJohn said:
Would a double blade kayak paddle work better for you?
Click to expand...

A double blade paddle would still require some sort of prosthetic attachment to the paddle shaft just as with with a single blade paddle. It would, however, eliminate the need to do the correction stroke that is needed for the single-sided canoe paddling technique and the constant paddle side switching needed for the hit & switch paddling technique.
 
Glenn MacGrady said:
How did he hold the canoe paddle?paddle
Click to expand...
mostly with his good arm, but somewhat tucked under his other armpit. He could use the paddle on both sides when he needed to. One of those you have to see it to belive it. In no way a racer but he could control the boat and get to where he needed to go.
 
the only thing I found useful and that I might be able to help you with is this video


maybe this is some kind of inspiration for you.
But - since you still have the whole arm ... would it be advisable for you to visit a veterans' home with their specialists? They're sure to have some good ideas. Or your physiotherapist - he will certainly know people who can help you in your search for a solution.

Good luck and best wishes
Michael
 
The VA’s go-to for certain. My prosthetist clued my onto a device for hiking poles that was intended for archery that has a nice flex to it that just might work. I’ve overcome obstacles with swimming and weightlifting so figuring this out should be pretty easy. I was mainly curious if there was any amputees on the forum who’ve already ironed out the wrinkles so-to-speak. I do have my entire for arm so i’m curious if i can use a single paddle solo.
 
Glenn MacGrady said:
So, you must have to type on a keyboard with one hand?. . .
Click to expand...
Oh yeah. It must be obvious from my typos! Lol. I was offered an adaptive keyboard but i knew i’d struggle if i ever found myself without it. I’d rather adapt myself to the device/activity whenever possible. Special Adaptive equipment may fail, or may not always be available when i need it.
 
Should be able to if you paddle on the left side. I simple semi circular device strapped onto your wrist should be able to grip the shaft good enough for most paddling situations, and might even prove to be advantageous for strokes where a lose grip on the shaft is required. Difficult to explain, but i can see it in my head.
 
memaquay said:
Should be able to if you paddle on the left side. I simple semi circular device strapped onto your wrist should be able to grip the shaft good enough for most paddling situations, and might even prove to be advantageous for strokes where a lose grip on the shaft is required. Difficult to explain, but i can see it in my head.
Click to expand...
I think i know exactly what you mean. I was kind of thinking the same thing.
 
memaquay said:
Should be able to if you paddle on the left side. I simple semi circular device strapped onto your wrist should be able to grip the shaft good enough for most paddling situations, and might even prove to be advantageous for strokes where a lose grip on the shaft is required. Difficult to explain, but i can see it in my head.
Click to expand...

I think that's a good idea. The top hand is the one that controls the paddle angle. The bottom hand doesn't do much other than hold on and, like Mem said, the bottom hand is often holding with a loose grip so the shaft can rotate as the top hand makes adjustments.

Whitewater paddlers often use crossover strokes to paddle on the opposite side for quick corrections rather than switching grips. That will probably be harder in a wider boat but it will be something to try.

Alan
 
I met a guy while paddling who only paddled on one side. He made his paddle with the grip angled to make it easier on his top hand. He annually won a local whitewater race, paddling on one side. Not sure if he used cross forwards. The point is, switching paddle sides isn’t mandatory.

There’s an organization in my area called Team River Runner. They specialize in getting vets with disabilies into boats and onto the river. They’ve been around for years, but that’s all I know about them. Gotta think they’ve figured out no-hand paddling.
 
This adaptive mechanism custom made by Swift is not for your situation, Brews, but I thought I'd post it for folks who may have back, leg or old age issues.

 
Chip said:
There’s an organization in my area called Team River Runner. They specialize in getting vets with disabilies into boats and onto the river. They’ve been around for years, but that’s all I know about them. Gotta think they’ve figured out no-hand paddling.
Click to expand...

Team River Runner – River to Recovery

www.teamriverrunner.org www.teamriverrunner.org

This brings us one step closer to the end!
Great site - (y)
 
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